1,247 killed in Haiti between July and September: UN report

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) published its quarterly report on the Caribbean island nation Tuesday, documenting 1,247 murders and 710 injuries between July and September.

BINUH’s Human Rights Service identified a wide range of actors responsible for the violence, including armed gangs, self-defense groups, unorganized civilians and Haitian security agencies conducting ground operations and air strikes.

While 30% of the murders were attributed to gang-related violence, the report indicated that the majority of deaths -- 61% -- resulted from operations by Haitian security forces. The deaths occurred during ground operations, drone strikes and through the excessive use of force, including summary executions.

An additional 9% of the killings were linked to self-defense groups and lynch mobs.

Men accounted for 83% of all victims, while women and children comprised 14% and 3% respectively -- figures consistent with trends observed in previous UN reports.

The report highlighted the trafficking and exploitation of children by gangs as one of Haiti’s gravest human rights concerns.

According to official data, at least 302 children were recruited by gangs in 2024, though the UN notes that the real number is likely much higher.

Testimonies collected by BINUH’s Human Rights Service from authorities, local service providers and international humanitarian agencies confirm a sharp rise in child recruitment.

However, the UN warns that underreporting remains a major obstacle, due to fear of reprisals, social stigma and widespread distrust of police and judicial institutions. As a result, only a fraction of the victims come forward.

The report also documented rampant sexual violence in areas under gang control, particularly in the form of gang rapes committed during home invasions or street assaults.

In one example from September, a 17-year-old girl in Simon Pele, a densely populated neighborhood within the larger, impoverished area of Cite Soleil near the capital Port-au-Prince, was raped at gunpoint by four gang members who broke into her home.

In the Artibonite department in central Haiti, BINUH documented cases of child sexual exploitation involving the Kokorat San Ras gang, affecting at least 27 minors aged 13 to 17.